Rocket toy



Feb. 13, 1968 Filed April 6, 1 6

United States Patent Ofiice 3,368,301 ROCKET TOY Benjamin Kinberg, 425 Riverside Drive, New York, N.Y. 10027 Filed Apr. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 540,639 4 Claims. (Cl. 46-74) The present invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a toy driven by an improved rocket engine.

An object of the present invention is to provide a rocket toy which can be conveniently pressurized.

Another object is to provide such a rocket toy which is actuated in a reliable manner.

Another object is to provide such a rocket toy which can be launched from an extremely simple device. A further object is to provide such a rocket toy which is simple and economical in construction.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a rocket in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 on FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view partly in section of a launching device with the rocket shown in broken lines.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 on FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown a rocket which can also serve as a rocket engine for toy craft or vehicles. This rocket generally comprises a rigid hollow body having a nose 11 at one end and having a propulsion throat 12 at the opposite end, a check valve 14 on the nose end of the body having an opening 15 for introducing compressed air into the body by means of a hand operated pump or other suitable pressurizing device (not shown) and having means 16 for sealing the opening 15 when the body is pressurized, a closure 17 for the throat 12 captive within the body having an outer end portion 18 extending outwardly of the throat when in throat sealing position and being frictionally retained and arranged to be moved into the body to open the throat, and a flexible member 19 attached to the outer end portion 18 of the closure for moving the closure into throat sealing position.

The valve opening sealing means 16, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a pair of resilient flaps 20 which are spread apart when air is introduced through the opening 15 and are collapsed to seal the opening by pressure within the body when the pressurizing appliance is withdrawn.

The closure 17 for the throat 12 has a generally conical section 21 adapted to be wedged into the throat and held by friction therein which friction is overcome by applying 3,368,301 Patented Feb. 13, 1968 an inward force on the outer end portion 18 to open the throat. Release of the closure 17 may be assisted by resilient means such as a rubber band 22 having one end connected to the inner end of the closure and having its other end secured within the body 10 near the nose end.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, a launching device is shown which comprises a base 24, a post on the base, and an inclined launching slide 26 hinged to the post to adjust the angle thereof. The slide 26 has side wall portions 27 disposed at an angle of about with respect to each other for guiding the body up and down, and a lower wall portion 28.

In operation, the body 10 is placed on the slide 26 at the upper end thereof and is allowed to descend whereupon the outer end portion 18 of the closure 17 strikes the wall portion 28 and is driven into throat opening position. The air under pressure in the body then is discharged through the throat 12 to jet propel the body and put the same into fiight.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved rocket toy and launching device.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A rocket toy engine comprising a rigid hollow body having a nose at one end and having a propulsion throat at its opposite end, a check valve on said body having an opening for introducing compressed gas into said body and having means for sealing said opening when said body is pressurized, and a closure for said throat captive within said body having an outer end portion extending outwardly of said throat when in throat sealing position and being frictionally retained and arranged to be moved into said body to open said throat.

2. A rocket engine according to claim 1, including a member attached to said outer end portion of said closure for moving said closure into throat sealing position.

3. A rocket engine according to claim 1, including resilient means secured to said body and an inner end portion of said closure for assisting movement of said closure into said body to open said throat.

4. A rocket engine according to claim 2, including resilient means secured to said body and an inner end portion of said closure for assisting movement of said closure into said body to open said throat.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/ 1951 Costea 46-76 X 1/ 1956 Kraut-kramer 4676 

1. A ROCKET TOY ENGINE COMPRISING A RIGID HOLLOW BODY HAVING A NOSE AT ONE END AND HAVING A PROPULSION THROAT AT ITS OPPOSITE END, A CHECK VALVE ON SAID BODY HAVING AN OPENING FOR INTRODUCING COMPRESSED GAS INTO SAID BODY AND HAVING MEANS FOR SEALING SAID OPENING WHEN SAID BODY IS PRESSURIZED, AND A CLOSURE FOR SAID THROAT CAPTIVE WITHIN SAID BODY HAVING AN OUTER END PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF SAID THROAT WHEN IN THROAT SEALING POSITION AND BEING FRICTIONALLY RETAINED AND ARRANGED TO BE MOVED INTO SAID BODY TO OPEN SAID THROAT. 